Industrial Revolution - Developments In Transport

Question 1

What was road transport like in 1750?

Answer 1

• Quite slow
• Could only take small loads
• Dangerous
• Roads were terrible, especially in winter
• Good were often broken on the way

Question 2

How were roads improved?

Answer 2

Turnpike Trusts - Control of a section of road to look after, charging people to use it. Numbers quickly grew from 520 in 1770 to almost 1000 in 1830. Some employed surveyors to improve roads.
John McAdam - A surveyor who developed a new type of road after realising that roads needed strong foundations and good drainage.

Question 3

What was water transport like in 1750?

Answer 3

• Used rivers and seas
• Cheaper than road
• Bulk loads could be taken
• Some areas were far from navigable water
• Slow
• Some rivers could not be navigated

Question 4

What was the problem for industries and transport in 1750?

Answer 4

Problem: All industries had to rely on nearby sources for raw materials as well as places to sell produced goods.

Question 5

Why was the Bridgewater Canal built?

Answer 5

The Duke of Bridgewater had a coal mine near Manchester, but could only transport coal there is small loads by road. He also realised that goods had to be moved between Liverpool and Manchester. He saw the canal as the solution.

Question 6

What were the results of building the Bridgewater Canal?

Answer 6

• Prices of coal went down by half
• Factories were therefore more willing to use steam power over water power
• Goods could be moved at 1/6th of the price between Manchester and Liverpool
• Liverpool became much more used and bigger

Question 7

Why did the Bridgewater Canal eventually become less and less useful?

Answer 7

• Prices were high
• Hold ups
• Goods were sometimes left for weeks in Liverpool before they could be taken to Manchester

Question 8

What were the arguments for and against the Liverpool and Manchester Railway?

Answer 8

FOR
-Products (e.g. Farm products) could be sent from Manchester to Liverpool and then all around the world
-The railway would be more reliable, faster and twice as cheap as the canal
-Traders would benefit the most
AGAINST
-Smoke and sparks could ruin crops

Question 9

What were the impacts of building railways, such as the Liverpool and Manchester Railway?

Answer 9

POSITIVE
-Workers could live further from jobs
-Cheap holidays were born
-Seaside resorts began
-Journeys were cheaper
-Journeys were faster
-Improved supply of fresh food
NEGATIVE
-Destroyed travel by cart and canal